"I think the wise course of action, the compassionate course
of action, the better course of action would have been to immediately
invite her in to the ranch. It should have been done when this whole
thing started. Listen to her."

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb)

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise
of fighting a foreign enemy. "

James Madison

"For here we
are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead." Thomas
Jefferson

A Time for
Moral
Outrage

by
William Frey, M. D.

The
willingness of far too many Americans to patiently accept the
rationale of Administration talking points through every twist and
turn, through every flip-flop, through every Presidential renunciation
of previously sacred American civic principles, may at long last be
coming to an end.

29 months after the invasion of
Iraq in March, 2003, the pretext given to the American people and to
Congress for invading Iraq has yet to be substantiated.

Nonetheless, intelligence we now
know to be less than accurate was utilized
both to obtain public support and Congressional authorization for the
use of military force, a decision that only Congress has the legal
authority to make.

"Most of the major key judgments in the ... 2002 National
Intelligence Estimate, Iraq's Continuing Programs for Weapons of Mass
Destruction, either overstated, or were not supported by, the
underlying intelligence reporting."

Although President Bush denies
plans for control of natural resources of Iraq, or for a permanent
military presence (permanent bases) in Iraq, those who have advised him
to pursue his present policies have
long advocated expansion of military bases throughout the Middle
East for purposes including the control of natural resources, and have
long advocated (contrary to the President’s rhetoric) military
confrontation and forced regime change, not only in Iraq, but also with
Iran
and Syria. Moreover, in Iraq, construction of 14
“enduring bases” proceeds, even as the President denies
plans for permanent occupation.

As pursuit of the control of the
government and/or natural resources of a foreign nation by military
force is neither constitutional nor consistent with our moral values,
it is clear that the Administration would need to justify its action by
the more benign stated goal of "spreading democracy".

Unfortunately for the
administration, “spreading democracy” to a foreign land by military
force (at the price of thousands of American lives and uncounted
civilian "collateral damage") is not a constitutional purpose. Nor is
the imposition of democracy by an unwanted foreign power a method by
which democracy is likely to become established.

"We
have no interest in occupation ...."

President
Bush has long denied aspirations for empire, for domination, or
for military occupation:

“As many veterans have seen in countries around the world,
captive people have greeted American soldiers as liberators. And there
is good reason. We have no territorial ambitions, we don't seek an
empire.”

On March 19, 2003, upon the commencement of the invasion of Iraq,
President Bush addressed
the nation,

“We have no ambition in Iraq, except to remove a threat and
restore control of that country to its own people. I know that
the families of our military are praying that all those who serve will
return safely and soon…. For your sacrifice, you have the gratitude and
respect of the American people. And you can know that our forces will
be coming home as soon as their work is done.”

But the President suffers a credibility gap
with Iraqis as well. Simply stated, Iraqis
fear that President Bush does
not intend to ever exit Iraq, but that he intends, despite
his rhetoric, to continue the construction and establishment of permanent
military bases on Iraqi
soil. Indeed, it is the President’s very persistence in actions
which imply an intent (so at odds with his stated goals upon entering
Iraq) for a permanent military presence in Iraq, which fuels the
insurgency.

The American people increasingly
realize that the war and occupation of Iraq is a mistake, brought about
for untruthful reasons, and that persistent occupation not only fuels
the insurgency, but (contrary to those who apparently believe we should
promise self-determination, even as we actually deliver perpetual
military occupation) undermines our credibility.

In this realization, the
American people are far ahead of our elected leaders.

Some notable
and courageous
Congressional Republicans, including Walter
“Freedom Fries” Jones (R-NC), a conservative Republican and former
supporter of the invasion whose district includes Camp Lejeune, home of
the 2nd Marine division, have come to this realization that it is time
to withdraw from Iraq, standing up to intense pressure from Republican
leadership, but others have remained silent.

Many
Democratic leaders have not supported those fellow Democrats who have
had the courage to demand that we bring home our troops expeditiously.

Our sons and daughters in our armed forces are doing that
which is asked of them with courage and honor. Many are paying
with their lives, and many more have been permanently maimed.

It is they,
our best and bravest, who are paying the price for the flawed policy of
a misguided civilian leadership, a civilian leadership who forced this
war upon much wiser and experienced military leaders, whose cautionary
advice has been ignored by the President from the beginning.

It is time
Americans demand more of our civilian and political leadership.

It is time we
demand truth, accountability, and judicious policy.

It is time we
admit our mistakes, and, in this imperfect world, do what is best for
our nation, for our courageous servicemen and women, for Iraq, and for
our world at large. We went into Iraq to remove a threat of
WMD’s, and to remove a dictator, not to establish Iraq as a vassal
state. The Iraqi people do not desire our continued military
presence.

It is time we
leave the future of Iraq to Iraqis.

It is time for
the American people, disregarding partisan divisions, to demand of our
leaders that we expeditiously withdraw our troops from Iraq, and commit
our nation, once again, to a just and achievable foreign policy.

"The
central motive for anti-American terrorism, suicide terrorism, and
catastrophic terrorism is response to foreign occupation, the presence
of our troops. The longer our forces stay on the ground in the Arabian
Peninsula, the greater the risk of the next 9/11, whether that is a
suicide attack, a nuclear attack, or a biological attack."

She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her
voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.

She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners
than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she
would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars
of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition,
which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.

The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change
from liberty to force....

She might become the
dictatress of the world. She would be
no longer the ruler of her own spirit...."

Help
spread
the good news that
true conservatism is
NOT the
politics ofisolation
from allies, inflammation
of terrorist recruitment, endless
war, fiscal
irresponsibility, and surrender of constitutional principles.